2009 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

2009 TOYOTA PRIUS RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN IT "SHOULD" HAVE HAD 3 GALLONS LEFT (BASED ON STATED FUEL CAPACITY OF 11.9 GALLONS, AND ON FUEL GAUGE). APPARENTLY THE FUEL BLADDER DOES NOT CONTAIN A RELIABLE AMOUNT OF GAS WHEN FILLED, AND THE GAS GAUGE WARNING (WHICH THE MANUAL SAYS GOES ON WITH ABOUT 3 GALLONS LEFT) MAY NOT COME ON UNTIL LESS THAN A HALF A GALLON REMAINS. THIS IS DANGEROUS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRUIS. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITONS, THE CONTACT REAR-ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION AND THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 2,500.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON A LIGHTLY SNOW COVERED ROAD SURFACE, THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT CRASHED ONTO THE CURB IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS UNINJURED, BUT THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 480. FOUR DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMERS WAS HEADING DOWN A GENTLE INCLINE TOWARD A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION SHORTLY AFTER A LIGHT SNOWFALL, THE STREET WAS WET, BUT THERE WAS NO ICE ON THE ROAD. AS SHE BRAKED TO SLOW DOWN, SHE NOTICED THERE WAS NO DECELERATION AND CONTINUED TO PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO NO AVAIL. TO AVOID CRASHING INTO OTHER CARS, SHE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT INTO A CURB AND CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL, AXLE AND UNDERCARRIAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND AFTER THE INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER IMPLIED THE SHE MUST HAVE APPLIED THE BRAKES INCORRECTLY AND WAS NOT ACCUSTOMED TO ABS. A FEW MONTHS LATER ON ANOTHER WET RAINY DAY, THERE WAS A SIMILAR INCIDENT OF BRAKE FAILURE. UPDATED 04/15/10.*JB

FUEL TANK CAPACITY DANGEROUSLY VARIABLE IN TOYOTA PRIUS. OUR 2009 PRIUS ROUTINELY IS UNABLE TO FILL TO FULL CAPACITY OF 11.9 GALLONS. WORSE IS COLD TEMPERATURES. WAS NOT TOLD OF THIS ISSUE AT TIME OF PURCHASE. HAVE SINCE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE FUEL BLADDER FROM CONSUMER CHAT FORUMS, BUT TOYOTA NEEDS TO DISCLOSE THE RANGE OF FUEL CAPACITY IN THEIR MANUALS, OR IMPROVE THE DESIGN TO *TR

WE BROUGHT A NEW 2009 PRIUS IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, 2008. I WAS DRIVING IN THE SNOW, AND FOUND THAT THIS CAR HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN; THE TRACTION CONTROL TOOK TOTAL CONTROL OF THE CAR, AND LEFT ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IN A CURVE AS I WAS ABOUT TO GO UP A HILL. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP; I COULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL! THE SHERIFF, WHO WAS DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET HAD TO GO OFF THE ROAD TO KEEP FROM HITTING ME HEAD ON, AND THE PERSON BEHIND ME HAD TO SWERVE TO KEEP FROM HITTING ME. THANK GOD I DIDN'T HAVE AN ACCIDENT! I CONTACTED THE TWO TOYOTA DEALERS IN OUR AREA, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE RESPONSE FROM THE PRIUS WAS "NORMAL." WHEN I CALLED THE TOYOTA 800 CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER, I WAS AGAIN TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WE TRY SNOW TIRES ON THE CAR. IN SPITE OF LIVING WHERE WE ARE IN JOHNSON CITY, NEW YORK (NEAR BINGHAMTON), WE HAVE ALWAYS USED ALL-SEASON TIRES WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE. WE HAD A 1995 INTREPID WHICH HAD TRACTION CONTROL, AND WE HAD NO TROUBLE WITH IT. IT HAD A SWITCH THAT YOU COULD USE IF YOU NEEDED TO TURN THE TRACTION CONTROL OFF. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE PRIUS HAS NO WAY TO TURN THE TRACTION CONTROL OFF; I BELIEVE TOYOTA'S DESIGN IS FAULTY AND DANGEROUS. IT'S A DEATH TRAP, A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE CHANGED! PLEASE HELP US IN GETTING THE ATTENTION OF THE TOYOTA MOTOR COMPANY TO DO A RECALL AND MAKE IT SO THAT THIS CAR HAS A WAY TO TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL WHEN IT DEEMS NECESSARY. IT SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY FOR ACCIDENTS TO OCCUR AND PEOPLE BE HURT OR KILLED TO MAKE IT COMPULSORY THAT A BAD DESIGN BE FIXED. (PLEASE NOTE: WE WROTE "CAMRY" ON YOUR FORM UNDER MODEL SELECTION BECAUSE YOU DID NOT HAVE "PRIUS" LISTED. WE HAD TO SELECT SOME CAR MODEL IN ORDER TO PROCEED WITH THE APPLICATION). THANK YOU. *TR